Original Bible: AS THE EARTH TURNS, Part 2

In Part 1 of the original story bible for AS THE WORLD TURNS, called AS THE EARTH TURNS at that point, some background details on the concept of the show and the locale were provided. Irna Phillips created the soap in 1955 and a pilot was shot in November of that year. AS THE WORLD TURNS debuted on April 2, 1956. In Part 2 of the story bible below, the characters start to be revealed.

The family we are particularly interested in...well supposing we open the door to the home at 215 Oakdale Avenue and meet the various members of the Hughes family.

Character Analysis

CHRISTOPHER HUGHES had as a young boy already decided on the career, the profession he would follow. Now at forty-three there are times when he looks back to that boy, to that young man who received his degree in law some eighteen years ago - to the life on his father's farm, the warmth and love of the family, the hardships, the skimping and saving by the whole family to make sure that Chris, the eldest, could to to the university and become "a great lawyer."

It took rigid planning to finance Chris' education. Chris' father, Fred, always had hoped his boys would stay on the land and work the earth as he had and his father had before him, not that he imposed his will upon either of the boys. However, Fred knew that he could not openly disagree with this wife's dreams for Chris and the twins, Edith and John. Her dreams were those of every real mother. She wanted for the children what they wanted for themselves. She recognized very early that not one of her children loved the earth as her husband did, and if they were ambitious to make their mark in this changing world, she would do everything she could to help them.

So it was that Chris went to law school so he could become important and successful and in turn help finance the education of his younger brother and sister. That was the way his mother had planned it - a plan that did not materialize in its entirety.

At the university Chris worked hard and made a brilliant record as a law student. It was here that he met two people who were to play an important part of his life. There was his classmate, Jim Lowell, son of the senior partner of Lowell and Barnes - and then there was Nancy whom he met when they were both in their senior year.

Falling in love with Nancy - well, Chris hadn't forseen this possibility. Chris had an obligation, a duty, that could not be overlooked. Nancy and Chris went together for a year, and decided to be married when Nancy graduated. They talked over the whole matter of Chris' obligations to his family and decided that they'd be able to handle it even better together. Nancy could teach and so contribute until such time as Chris was out on his own and able to do it alone.

And so they were married. They went back to the farm on their honeymoon. Chris, eager for the folks to meet his bride and to tell of their plans, couldn't understand the disappointment he saw in his mother's eyes, the bitterness and coolness, too...Promises were made...Nancy would work, Chris would work, they would be able between them to establish a home of their own in the city and still help the family that had been so generous to the eldest child.